The Fragmented Crescendo: Shatter
by The Seelie Court Jester
Summary: There were three confessions laid barren for the world to see. Yet Alexis still wanted someone to write down their stories, however futile her efforts were in the end. A side-story to Fragments.
1. Chapter 1

There was a small, timid knock on the edge of the door.

Professor Crowler looked up, the pen scratches halting with effortless professionalism. Dark azure eyes glazed over his face, his old, wrinkled expression boring its ugly face at his office. Orange, melancholic lights seeped through the blinds, the emerald plants seeping the fiery air from the dust-swept window panes. The velvet carpet captured whatever primitive shadow so happened to be flying outside, and though the man didn't mind the silhouettes necessarily, there were times when he envied them, both they and their freedoms. The uninteresting document lying underneath was slowly losing its prominence from within his mind when those fleeting shadows appeared again, their wings taunting him so easily. He winced.

And yet again, the knock sounded.

He looked down, his blond ponytail bouncing up as he did. His bangs swept through his eyes, as he examined the stack near him. The pink ruffles kept up with his stern, womanly appearance, his deep blue trench coat countering the soft, gentle exterior he'd been going for…eight years? Long nails scratched the edge of the wooden desk, the tiny flakes lodged underneath his fingers, a testament to the frustrations he's had to deal with. It only took him a split second to slam the pen on the table, and stare back up at the door, relief tugging from the edge of his purple lips. He rubbed his weary eyes, and groaned slightly.

Honestly, this was growing rather tiresome. While he was ecstatic that somehow, _everyone_ managed to graduate, in the end he was the one who had to sign all the diplomas. Shepherd didn't have to do _any_ of it, which, of course, didn't make sense, considering he was the _Chancellor_ of this school. Not that Crowler would wish for their downfalls. In fact, he was happy to see all of the students graduate, what with the crazy shenanigans he had to put up with for the last four years. They were all growing up, going to college, becoming real adults, learning their places in the world-

That irritating knock…

He heaved a heavy sigh. "Come _in_ ," he commanded irritatingly.

He bit back his tongue when he saw a familiar, beloved student her head through the door. He froze then, his neck stiffening at the sudden awkward pressure relayed throughout his muscles. "A-Alexis!" he squeaked.

Carefully, she opened the door a bit wider. She still had on her Obelisk blue uniform, the blue, fingerless glove covering her frail hands. Long, blond hair swept to her back, neatly brushed aside as any leader should have. Though she was oddly shy today, nevertheless, when she wandered in, that respectful disposition automatically overtook the atmosphere. The girl gave her professor a small, tiny smile, and the teacher relaxed. "Professor Crowler? Are you-?"

She stopped when she saw the pile of diplomas on his desk. She bit her lip then, refusing to finish the sentence, much to his dismay. She took a deep breath, and gave a remorseful smile. "Never mind. Sorry to bother you sir."

"No! No no no no no no!" Crowler suddenly screamed, standing up at the thought of a relaxing, stressless break. His hand reached out desperately toward his savior, the tears peeking out from the corners of his eyes. "Wait!"

Alexis froze, before spinning around, her eyes wide with shock. "S-sir?"

"Come! Come sit down!" the teacher stated over excitedly, as he flourished his ancient hands toward a simple, black chair sitting in front of the ostentatious paperwork. He _needed_ this, no matter what anyone else had to say. With the sun waning behind him, the nostalgic lights invading the lowly, musty room, it seemed almost hellish for Crowler to be locked up in here all day with absolutely no one to talk students were getting ready for their finals, the teachers were partying, and even campus police were patrolling the area, looking for any murders, limbs, suicides, and perhaps even a dimensional rift or two no one knew had existed.

The predicament was stressful indeed.

Warily, Alexis came over to the teacher's enthusiastic hand, while clutching her chest apprehensively. Still, she maintained her polite demeanor, and bowed. "Thank you sir."

"No dear," he said then, as he sat back in his seat. He coughed embarrassingly, the tension immediately relieved from the sudden reprieve, as he attempted to exploit the sudden time off. Frankly, Crowler couldn't concentrate on anything else besides the necessities, including food and water. A hot shower would be nice too, but unfortunately, the diplomas were already a day late. If he waited any further, Shepherd would have his head.

But Crowler deserved the break, and if he could get Alexis to testify how hard he'd been working, who knows? Perhaps he'd get that two month vacation he's always been asking for.

He threw his pen down, and crossed his legs, slouching in his chair in utter relief. Alexis meanwhile, crept closer and closer, before planting herself in that chair. She placed her hands neatly on her lap and stared up at the teacher with curious eyes. "Thank you sir."

"It's fine," he answered, waving his hand back and forth to dismiss the trifling concern altogether. "You're graduating in a few days now, correct? How do you feel? Excited on studying abroad?"

She nodded calmly, sharing neither his enthusiasm nor his jubilance for the prospect alone. "Yes sir. Thank you again for writing me the recommendation letters. I really appreciate it."

He smiled sadly. That's right; not only Alexis, but the entire student body will be gone as well. There'd be no more of those brats to deal with, and with everything that's happened, Crowler was more than willing to give them their farewells.

Yet all the same…

"You'll be going to North America, correct?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest, pleased with his pupil's progress. "Are you still going to teach? If you want, you could always come here, at Duel Academy. I'm sure the faculty would be more than happy to have you."

She fell silent. Her lips parted slightly, while her eyes darkened at the seams. She closed them, before looking up once more. "Professor, I want to talk with you about something."

The urgency in her voice alone was enough to snap Crowler awake. He narrowed his eyes. "What's this? Is everything alright?"

"Well…e-everything's fine, I guess." She smirked, her hands tightening around themselves in blanched, obvious fear. "I suppose…I guess you're the only one I can talk to about this."

His blood pressure shot up. He resumed the dreaded tension, the worry already adorning his archaic features, as he leaned over carelessly, demolishing the neat stack of paperwork in the process. As the documents spilled to the floor, Crowler gazed at Alexis with anxiety, thoughts of a ruined future instantly exploding in his brain. "What happened?" he barely demanded.

"Nothing… out of the ordinary, sir."

"Did you…are you pre-?"

"No sir," she answered in an emotionless, resolute tone.

He breathed a relieved sigh. He clutched his chest, the adrenaline slowly leveling down. Sweat already decorated his palms, the anxiety alone enough to drive him over the edge. "Don't…don't scare me like that!" he scolded breathlessly.

"Sorry sir."

"What about school then? Are your grades holding up?"

"Yes sir."

"Personal troubles?"

"No sir."

"Is Atticus pressuring you into stardom again?"

"I…I don't think so, sir…?"

"Then what is it?" he pressed. The event was a special one, since the girl never bothered to come to him with _anything._ Whether it be school work, or relationships, or even financial hardships, it seemed Alexis never had a problem with anything, something Crowler found incredibly relaxing. She was his star student, and had been for the past four years. Although the murders did affect her studies a bit, and catastrophes ranging from the Shadow Riders to that Darkness business interfered with her going to class, she still managed to keep her prize as valedictorian. She was a dedicated young lady, and he knew she would have no trouble finding her place in the world.

That aspect alone was perhaps the reason why Crowler was so nervous. For her to come to him so late in the game, and with such a serious expression as well… It was enough to tug at his melting heart strings bit by bit. The lost look on her face wasn't at all like the determined woman he taught for the last years, marred by reluctance and sorrow, all the while masking something even darker from beneath her elegant face.

So he cast away any thoughts of the unsigned diplomas, and turned his whole attention to her troubles. After some time, the silence dominating over what he perceived to be a heartfelt plea for help, Crowler blinked. "It's not like you to come to me for your troubles," he urged. "Are you sure everything's alright?"

"Professor Crowler, the reason why I came to you was because I wanted to tell you something very special," she stated then, a spark of perseverance setting in her eyes. And once again, he found his student there, eagerly waiting for the life lesson to begin. "It's so special I don't even think you'll believe me if I told you. No, maybe that's why I came to you. You wouldn't believe me even if I told you, would you?"

He smirked haughtily, empathy reaching his wrinkles with a tiny, faithful want to help the poor creature. "Dear, I've gone through the past four years with all of you. After everything your class put me through, I can handle anything." Yes, that's true; even if she was graduating, she was still a kid. He was an adult, so he should be able to handle her problems. That's what a good mentor would do, right?

"Really?" Alexis inquired, a delicate eyebrow raised curiously, the facade disappearing once again. Crowler felt like he was under scrutiny, her eyes unveiling the dark, scandalous secrets he's built form his past bit by bit, tearing them down with each second passed. Finally, she smiled. "I see. I'm grateful then."

"I…I'm glad you are."

She peered at him with large, innocent brown eyes. But as soon as she set them on his face, she tore them away, gazing off quizzically at the isolated corners in the room, her bangs falling over her eyes as she did so. "Did you know? Someone else was supposed to come with me, but I didn't tell him. I don't know why. Maybe because you'd probably storm off the first chance you see him. Maybe he didn't want anyone else to know the story. But I didn't tell him. It's just me, Professor."

"Who didn't you tell?" he asked softly with narrowed eyes.

"Jaden."

He blinked. Jaden? Crowler did admit that the boy had grown, but…why was Alexis hesitating? Was the problem really that serious? Weren't the two good friends? "I'm sorry Alexis, but you're going to have to clarify." he said at last, crossing his hands on the desk. "Just what _exactly_ are you talking about?"

"Do you remember Alan Faustus?" she suddenly quipped. "And Stephen Jackson? And that Russian transfer student, Diana Aliyev? I think it was her boyfriend, maybe. It was so long ago…"

Slowly, Crowler told Alexis he did. Of course he would remember them. Though he'd only known them for a brief time, he knew they were good students. They were wonderful at anything they did, and though their lives were tragically cut short, in the end he could look back on them fondly, both as a teacher and a person. So it was natural that when he heard of what happened to them, he was enraged, saddened, terrified; millions of emotions raced through his mind with each passing day. Naturally, when the police announced they'd given up on the cases, his frustrations poured out from his lips. It was a rare time that he would actually show any feelings at all in the past, and it was something he regretted now. If only he could've shown them that he did care about them, if only they were alive today to see the whole school mourning for them… He blinked. "Why? What seems to be-"

"Jaden and I killed them."

Crowler froze.

Time seemed to pass them easily. Everything from within his thoughts immediately went quiet, the shock coming forth from his system slowly, painfully, mercilessly. All the warmth from the fading sun had drained from his back, and before long, he found himself laughing awkwardly at the false confession. His newly acquired protective nature had drowned out his screeching instincts, as he attempted to downplay the humorless prank. "Come now Alexis," he started. "It's not anyone's fault. You don't have to be so brave. We're all devastated-"

"Professor, you said you'd listen," Alexis stated silently, in that same, business tone of hers.

"Alexis, I've no time for-"

"You don't believe me?"

"Of course not!" he shouted then. "Alexis, they were your classmates! You shouldn't belittle them so easily-"

"You think I'm lying," she mused.

"I'm not amused young lady."

"I know." She shrugged, as she crossed her legs, her clouding gaze boring the professor once again. "If you think I'm lying, fine."

" _Alexis-"_

"Professor Crowler," she whispered quietly, causing him to fall silent. "It's fine if you think I'm lying. Our confessions won't hold anyways. We've already gotten rid of all the evidence, but at the very least, I feel like someone should know." She closed her eyes for a brief moment, the weariness overcoming her with all its might. "Someone should anchor us down, before we drift away, in that same darkness we keep getting ourselves into."

He almost threw her out.

He really did.

Yet Crowler couldn't help but notice the eerie calm beneath her expression, the genuine, candid face he easily saw when she revealed herself, her true intellect. He saw the dark shadows beneath her eyes, the cold interior he'd never heard of before from the young girl. A dark elegance radiated from the air, and in that moment, Alexis Rhodes had disappeared, replaced by yet another entity, a crying soul which only asked for a witness.

Crowler released his hold. He found himself sitting back, his own words pouring out from his throat. "Then tell me your lies."

She nodded.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello, I'm the Seelie Court Jester. I do not own Yugioh Gx, Yugioh 5ds, or any of the Yugioh franchise.


	2. Chapter 2

He was following someone.

He was following someone from behind, his tiny hands reaching out toward her, doing whatever he could to catch up with the elegant silhouette. He kept tripping over his fumbling feet, his clumsy legs tripping him wherever he went. Although he minded the obstruction, at the same time, he couldn't help but laugh. He was happy, in that respect. He was happy he was behaving, an odd refinement to what usually would occur when he was with someone else. He acted like a child, and he was grateful for it.

Black softly cascaded toward the tips of his fingernails, the silky strands escaping it the moment he touched them. Crimson draped its lovely caress throughout his vision, the warm, soft fabric barely brushing away his arms, endeavoring to see if the small boy would actually try and grab hold of the dress to prevent her from leaving. Pale skin shimmered brilliantly from inside the shadows, and two wide arms beckoned him forward, his old name ringing from the depths of her voice with an ephemeral tone. She was already fading from the scene.

Though dark surrounded him, and the coldness ached longingly for whatever warmth he had left sealed within his body, he was still running, desperately trying to catch up with his beloved person. She was right there, just waiting for him to come. He could see her smile before his eyes, the gentle disposition readily coming around him like a sweet, resonating lullaby. He could hear her tinkering laughter, could feel the protectiveness her own body radiated, her long, slender fingers holding him close, as to stop reality from coming forth. He could even hear her heartbeat from beneath her chest, the small, fragile organ struggling along the folds of cruel compassion.

And he woke up.

Jaden blinked, the soft, thin covers beneath his body pulling him awake. Cold, white blankets were thrust over him, the iridescent moonlight replacing the black hidden under his eyelids. His body ached at the movement, his muscles groaning at the sudden exertion of effort. His dark, brown bangs swept across his face, while his hands steadied him, trying to keep him from falling back to the warm bed. Yet even so, he rubbed the salty streams away from his cheeks, his puffy eyes at once returning to normal.

Something was missing.

A wearily, dark stare scanned the room briefly, his hazy vision slowly beginning to sharpen. He caught sight of the red blazer lodged near an elegant, rounded table, as well as the threads used to make the next doll. The high ceilings of the abandoned dorm carried with it its Victorian essence, a subtle, gothic atmosphere settling in with the supposedly innocent evening. To his right, there was a large, glass cabinet filled with the prized, precious dolls Alexis had been collecting for the last decade. Their creepy faces smiled their eerie smiles, with strings of yarn descending down their plump, stuffed heads. Their human eyes were staring back at the empty space, though the black buttons were never far. Overhead was a glass chandelier, which dangled dangerously over the fragile room. Bulbs of crystal and light shimmered across the room irritatingly, the tiny reflections gazing back at him with the same, emotionless malice he used to convey. The small, thin bed he was lying on instantly grew smaller due to the plethora of space, the frame alone enough to make him feel somewhat vulnerable.

Jaden blinked, before flickering his eyes at his empty arms.

Alexis was gone.

* * *

"It was easy," Alexis began, "and it was convenient. They were all right there, and we just took their lives like they were nothing." She held up her fingers, her eyes staring down emptily at all the methods she and Jaden used, everything they did torture the souls horrendously. "Jaden made Alan into a kingdom of dolls, which I thought was really cool. I poisoned Stephen by using Botulinum toxin, along with arsenic and hemlock. I added a few of my antipsychotics, since Jaden said they weren't working."

Crowler blinked. This…couldn't be real. Yet the girl seemed so serious the teacher was chilled to the core. Slowly, he settled back in his seat, his eyes wide with confusion. "I…I see…"

She smiled pleasantly before continuing, pleased to know that Crowler was listening. "After I poisoned him, I burned him with a candle at the Obelisk gazebo. And then…and then we both pulled a really bad prank on the Society of Light. We used Diana's boyfriend as an ingredient for the banquet Sartorius was holding. I wish I could've seen their faces when they realized who they've been eating. But I'm surprised; I would've thought Sartorius would cover it up one way or the other."

He narrowed his eyes. "When was this?"

"When I joined the Society of Light, sophomore year."

"No," he replied, still trying to warp his head around the brutal killings. "When did all of this take place?"

She blinked "Throughout the time we were both here."

Crowler froze. Should he write this down? Should he just send her away right now and call for another psychiatrist to come to the school? No, that would ruin her reputation. He couldn't afford to damage one of _his_ students if only for the sakes of their futures. There absolutely no possible way he could destroy Alexis with that simply call. The years it would take to catch up, the precious time she was sacrificing for the sake of one little mistake…

But…but what of all this? What could Crowler make of _this?_ If it turns out Alexis was telling the truth, that both she and Jaden were behind the killings…that would mean he'd been hiding two serial killers throughout these past four years, intentional or otherwise. He would have to send the two of them away. Not only would that damage the school, but it would also call into question the other students and whether or not they were involved, the teachers, the possibility of abuse…

Alexis beamed brightly at him. "It's fine. Like I said, we've already gotten rid of all the evidence, so even if you did tell someone, I'm sure you'd be laughed at for it. Besides, our parts won't allot for it."

"Parts?" he repeated after a long, blank pause.

"That's right. When we came to Duel Academy, we decided to remake our image. Jaden would be the lazy slacker, and I the hardworking student. It was fun, by the way."

This girl…he couldn't make out any of it. "Wait, let's go back. You said you both murdered these students, correct?"

"Yes."

He was taken back, bewildered at how easily she could admit to the crimes. It took him a long time to ask the dreaded question, "Why?", not knowing whether or not he'd receive an honest answer.

It was when she looked up was his reasoning thrust aside. "They all had to die."

He narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"Their families were involved of some really bad organizations," Alexis explained. "If we got rid of the heirs, it would draw enough attention away from their businesses to give us a lot of time to infiltrate their corporations. We've secured financial resources, confidential confessions, even territories." She laughed softly, the soft, cheerful giggle enough to put Crowler at the edge of his seat. "Well, it's more efficient than the old way, I'll give it that."

He was almost afraid to ask, but curiosity got the better of him. "O-old way?"

"Yes. And it's more civilized too. Of course, Yusei doesn't think so, and it's kind of boring, for me at least. But hey, it gets the job done."

She shrugged, before placing her hands to the side. She stared up at the ceiling for a while, at the now nonexistent light which took the form of a violet moon hanging so callously above them. "We did that, and we gained control of the criminal syndicates. All in all, it was easy enough."

Yusei? There was more than one person behind this? Crowler straightened then; either he was really brave or really stupid to even be holding this interview. But he wanted to know; he _needed_ to know, if only to humor the girl a bit more. Maybe she was just stressed out. Students needed a way to relax, and though he hated being the butt of the joke, all the same, he couldn't help but be drawn in by the story altogether, even if it was made-up. "I want you to start from the beginning. You said image. What'd you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said," she answered, her now steel eyes swirling back to Crowler. "Jaden said he wanted to change things up a bit, so we sort of…remade ourselves."

He blinked, his entire body stiffening at the mention. "What were you like then? From before all of this?"

She cocked her head, a nostalgic smile adorning her lips. "Jaden was really mean, but nice at the same time. He was smart, knowledgable, but he was incredibly antisocial. Professor, if you could see him before he went to school here, I doubt you'd be looking at the same person. For me…for me, I guess I was always like this. But I like sleeping a lot more, and eating. Eating's always good."

He smirked halfheartedly, ignoring his own, rumbling stomach as he did. "Yes, eating _is_ a bit of a necessity." And then he paused. "Jaden… _smart?"_

"He is. I bet if you gave him a test, and if he did take it seriously, he could easily destroy Bastion. Maybe Zane too. And that Eisenstein too, if he really wanted to."

Now he _knows_ Alexis wasn't serious. Who put her up to this? The slifer slacker maybe? But of course, in the end, it was all good entertainment. He scoffed. "Right."

"It's true!" the girl pleaded. She stopped herself, and took a deep breath, before beginning again. "Jaden's one of the smartest people I know. When we were choosing schools, Jaden was the one who picked out Duel Academy. He researched all the donors, as well as their connections with the mafia, with terrorists, with any major wealthy criminals. He found out about their cultures, their backgrounds, their history…and we ended up here. He predicted that this was the place where all those people will be attending, and if we could get in here, we could screw up the international factions. Conquer and divide, was what he said."

Criminals in _his school?_ Blasphemy!

But he leaned in, the apparent prank taking an interesting twist. "So Jaden was behind all of this? He was the culprit?"

"No. I told you, both Jaden and I did it together. But…" Her voice trailed off, as she contemplated on yet another memory. "I suppose you could say we were helping our coven."

"Coven?"

She nodded. "It was also for Yusei's sake."

"Ah, for Yusei."

"That's right. He's the coven leader. We're his second-in-commands, so we help him in any way we can." She tilted her head after seeing Crowler's confused face. "He's also Jaden's older brother."

Crowler's eyes widened, the realization sinking in. "Alexis-"

"Though in hindsight, I guess he could be my older brother too. He acts like one anyways…"

"What about Atticus then?" he joked pathetically. "He'd be devastated if he knew you were-"

"Those were false memories."

"Come again?"

Alexis regarded him evenly, with that a cool, indifferent smile plastered on her face. "The memories Atticus had with me, the fact that I'm his little sister…those are all artificial. They were implanted the moment he made contact with the Shadow Riders, and with Yusei. It was cruel, but in order to solidify our image, Yusei had to make Atty believe he had a sister. That way, Jaden and I could come in without giving off any suspicion."

His brain kept twirling around any other possible problems that could be causing this. Perhaps she and Atticus were fighting right now, or maybe something bad had happened to her brother yet again. That's right. Something bad probably happened, and now the poor girl was trying to play it off.

But there was no possible way he could refute her.

After a few more moments of silence, the teacher closed his eyes. Starting tomorrow, Alexis will be attending therapy sessions. No one needed to know, none at all, and by the time graduation rolls around, she'd be stable again. "So is that all you came in for?" Crowler asked, an eyebrow raised. "To murder those students and take over their businesses?"

She shook her head. "I never told Yusei this, and Jaden never believed me. But…a long time ago, a very precious friend of mine was killed. I heard she was alive, and I wanted to know more. A lot of strange activity had been going on at Duel Academy at the time. And I figured, if Jaden and I could obtain that power, maybe we'd be one step closer to finding her, our friend. I…I guess not."

"I see," he answered curtly, deciding to entertain the girl a bit more. "So tell me…about this ah…coven, you called it?"

When she nodded, he pressed onward with the little skit. "Does it have a name? You kids call it 'The Coven' or something? Is that some new slang I've never heard about? Honestly-"

"The Black Rose."

"What?"

She smiled that same, sweet smile, with that innocent demeanor attached to it. "It's called the Black Rose coven. Yusei's leading it, and Jaden and I are helping him."


	3. Chapter 3

Jaden walked through the campus, his dark eyes searching through the nostalgic, illustrious halls that made up the Academy's entirety. Pure white, with tiny hints of blue entwined with the florescent lights, with the steel easily reflecting towards the back of his shadow. His hands were shoved in his pockets, as he made wove his way through the armies of friends and companions, all of whom were crying their eyes out at the inevitable, bittersweet parting known a graduation. Their expressions were downcast, and though they endeavored plastering on a courageous face, in the end their minds were completely shattered, and they broke down once again. If he remembered, Alexis was with them when that happened, those people she called friends.

He brushed past the sea of bodies slightly, ignoring the curious, yet adoring gazes the freshmen kept giving him. From behind, he could hear Blair's overly enthusiastic voice, the girl so ironically remaining oblivious to the very fact her crush was strolling right past her. He could see small glimpses of teachers chatting forlornly with their students, doing whatever they could to try and advise them a bit more, at the very least, until they leave the island. Jaden blinked at the tearful scenes in front of him, before moving on to another direction, the disinterest clouding his pupils.

His footsteps resounded from his ears. He could feel happy stares instantly boring his back, as the famed Slifer made his esteemed appearance. And yet, all the same, he couldn't help but feel a bit bothered by it. He never saw Jesse in the crowds, nor did he see Atticus, who was probably partying at the Obelisk dorms, nor even Zane, who was most likely with Shepherd. Axel was getting ready to go to the army to become a field researcher, while Jim was preparing to go back to Australia, probably to attend some top, famous duel college there with Shirley. Who knows? Maybe they could even be a dueling couple, or some other nonsense bestiality could think of.

One classroom managed to come to his attention however. The door was slightly open, and though Jaden wasn't at all ready to give into his temptation, he noticed a tiny silhouette from within the laboratory. He blinked, before coming toward the door, easily remembering the moments he devoted into developing developed his own little systems of biological warfare.

He'd been doing his own little research for the past few weeks, trying to utilize different strains of viruses to come up with yet another weapon for Yusei (hopefully) to use. He didn't particularly like the fact Alexis had to get dirty doing her little hobbies, nor did he enjoy masquerading as some idiot during his time in the Academy. If anything, this little hobby was a way for Jaden to escape, all the while being productive…in some morbid fashion.

Slowly, he came to the classroom and opened the door, the tiny gasps let out from his already gathering audience. Inwardly, he sighed, then closed it. He turned around, only to find Chazz there, hovering near the counter.

Well, this was gonna suck.

Carefully, Jaden went towards the senior, with that same, indifferent expression on his face. "Hey-"

Chazz immediately jolted. He spun around, hand on his chest, his eyes wide with shock, as he stared at Jaden with that similar, playful annoyance he had been for the last four years. "What're _you_ doing here?"

Jaden raised an eyebrow, as he walked around the teen, at this point not even bothering to hide the annoyance spread across his face. "That's what I should be asking you. What're _you_ doing? Your fans are all outside."

"It's hard being the Chazz," he said in that snooty, prideful voice. "I mean, what with all the fans and all."

"Uh-huh," Jaden answers aimlessly, as he swept across the desk, the microscope still in place. Odd; he'd forgot to take the specimens out yesterday. Did Alexis take the virus strains somewhere else? Well, Jaden's already memorized the patterns, and though recreating the amino acids were going to be a pain, at the very least he should be able to reconstruct that much.

Still, he didn't think the girl would be so against it. Being a little hygienic in your killings wasn't the end of the world.

There was a freshman biology textbook sitting near the microscope, and along with it, what looked like a family pedigree. Jaden cocked his head. "Chazz…were you doing something in here?"

"You think I'm that much of a shut-in?" he hissed. "Come on; no one's got time for that."

"Right…" Jaden replies, as his curious getting the hold of him, his memories returning through the ordeals. That's right; Alexis was doing something on genealogy.

So…more than likely she threw the pathogens away.

He sighed then, sweeping the pedigree from the textbook. "You sure?" he asked.

Chazz folded his arms. "I don't even _understand_ half of what you're reading."

"That's…kind of sad."

"You say something?"

"No," he quickly answered, as he looks over the list of names. Huh, Alexis was actually paying attention in her tutoring sessions. Good for her. "No. When you walked in, did you find any ah…broken glass anywhere? A pipet or two…?"

Chazz blinked, before smirking. "Dude, those pranks are getting old, even for you."

Jaden never answered.

"Uh, _hello?"_

"Chazz, where's Alexis?"

* * *

The Black Rose Witch was an infamous serial killer, dating all the way back to the 1500s. Her legend was incredibly gruesome, as she went on her merry way, leaving behind a crimson trail with unmarked graves lying next to it. She was cold, calculating, cruel, ruthless; the villagers burned her at the stakes but for some reason she never did stay dead. Numerous accounts of seeing her dragging her corpse from her body alone was enough to send chills down the teacher's spine, and it didn't help that Banner was the one who told him of those stories. Crowler still has those nightmares from time to time, and it was something he couldn't get rid of in just a day or two. In more ways than one the legend was more frightening than Camula could ever be.

And all the while, that girl sat there, smiling simply at nothing.

Finally, Crowler managed to muster some effort to address Alexis's tale. "S-so…" he stammered, before mentally kicking himself for sounding so weak. "Is that…all?"

"No sir," she said eagerly, her bangs bouncing then as she leaned forward. "In fact, that's only the surface. We've killed a lot of people, you know? Me, Jaden, our entire coven. We killed a lot go people and we were never even punished for it. Then again," she continued, staring emptily at the floor, "in a way, you could say they all deserved it. But I wouldn't know. Yusei would say one thing, Akiza would said another-"

He blinked, before narrowing his eyes. "Akiza?"

"Uh-huh. She was the former Black Rose." Her smiled faltered then, recalling some significant pain Crowler had no business of knowing. "She was killed by a rival coven… and it sucks because we didn't even have a funeral for her."

"I'm…I'm sorry to hear that…"

"I'm sorry too, but it's not like we could do anything about it though, right?" she asked, biting back a painful laugh. "But we were all happy once. And it was fun too. I love Yusei, but I loved Akiza too. She used to play a lot of games with us; one time, she decided to have a little contest, and the rules are that if any of us could kill more than she could, we'd all go out to eat that night."

How…could she _talk_ about something so gruesome…just like that? Like it was another chore she had to take care of, like some mundane assignment she had to do before the final exam?

Yet in the end, he managed to convince himself once more that she wasn't serious, that she was probably just trying to relieve some stress before graduation. After all, Alexis was in a lot of activities, and he kept seeing the girl getting so many confessions at once. Sometimes, she would even just sit there and contemplate on yet another, trivial subject matter. So Crowler nodded.

"Dr. Crowler," she said, brushing aside the still struggling silence, that carefree smile returning to her face once again, "Jaden use to tutor me, in all kinds of things. He would show me so much, from blood to limbs to equations. Once, he managed to sneak me into one of his labs, and showed me what bacteria looked like. He did a lot of cool stuff back then, and whenever he found something out, he would always tell me about it. I really liked that too. He also knew a lot about poetry and art and music, and he's always trying to drill that stuff into my head." She sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "It made Alexis Rhodes more perfect than she should've been."

"…Alexis-"

"I didn't like it of course, but he kept insisting I do so. Honestly, I don't know why these characters were so important to him. In the end you're probably going to forget the both of us."

 _There it was._

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Crowler screeched, causing Alexis to flinch at the sound. She jolted from her seat, her carefree air instantly vanishing from the seams. Crowler stood, slammed both palms on his desk, took a deep breath, and leaned forward.

"You and Jaden are the brightest pupils I've ever had the pleasure of teaching! Granted, there were times when I wanted to strangle the Slifer Slacker! And I wanted to rip you away from his pathetic, idiotic influence! But all the same! I'm glad to have you both as students! So please _, don't trouble yourself anymore with this_!"

"Crowler."

" _What?"_ he screamed frustratedly, swirling his head towards the front of the door.

Jaden stood there, leaning against the door frame reflecting back that same, awkward expression Crowler had just given him. He bit back his tongue, and though he visibly gulped, Alexis found nothing troublesome with the situation. She grinned at the boy, who returned it with neither warmth nor happiness. His red blazer fit the new, sophisticated, Gothic look he'd undertaken, though the melancholy had faded from his face. His dark brown eyes flickered toward Crowler, and automatically, the teacher halted all thoughts.

This…this was…

"Crowler," Jaden said again, as he walked toward Alexis, a seemingly unknown frustration souring in light of his eyes. "I need to talk with Alexis for a moment."

"I-I-"

He sighed, before coming to Alexis, grabbing her arm, and forcefully yanking her to her feet. "Thank you."

"W-wait!"

Jaden narrowed his eyes, and he gave a brief, irritated look to Alexis before addressing Crowler. "What?"

Crowler froze, and whatever scolding he was going to give the Slifer suddenly flew out the window. Was the prank over? What were they going to do now? Pick on some other poor teacher? Why'd the boy do that, especially when things were going so well, when Crowler himself almost believed Alexis? But he swallowed his pride, and eased himself into a very tense grin. "N-nothing. Go back you two."

"Right," Jaden answered, before twisting his heel and dragging the unwilling girl from his desk.


	4. Chapter 4

He threw her down on the bed, his narrowed eyes masquerading a dark, dangerous glow that even Alexis couldn't help but cower from. Still, she kept her plastered smile on her face, before taking a small, yet deep breath, before looking up at her angered lover.

"You mad bro?"

Jaden remained quiet, Mindy's quiet giggles passing over Alexis's door. When their elongated shadows passed, he clenched his fists and growled, "I'm _furious._ "

Alexis blinked. "You went to the biology labs today, didn't you?"

"Yes. Another thing; why'd you throw them away?" he asked, wrapping his fingers around her wrist to keep her from moving.

She pouted her lips. "It's not like I mind the killing. It's more relaxing to do it yourself anyways."

"With those pathogens, we could've wiped their armies out and save a lot of time. Going to each territory one by one-"

"Yusei needs something to do," she answered. " You know, to get his mind off things. That's why I threw them away."

Jaden stared down at her for a while, his mouth eye twitching in irritation, before he sighed. He rolled off of her. "What was the point of that? Crowler wouldn't have believed you anyways."

"I know."

The pedigree flashed in Jaden's mind, and he bit his lip. "You took DNA from his mitochondria. How the _fuck_ did you get-?"

"I got it from Yusei," Alexis quietly stated, sitting up anxiously toward the edge of the bed. "I asked for the sequences that belonged to…to Miss-"

"You got it from Yusei?"

"Y-yeah. I just…I just picked apart the sequences, and looked at Crowler's…and there was a match-"

"What'd you expect me to do?"

"Come on," she pleaded, as she rushed forth and wrapped her arms around his neck. "It's not like we meet someone like that again, right?"

"Alexis-"

"He's _family_."

Jaden watched the blonde carefully, his cool pupils separating her annoying naiveté to whatever scheme she managed to cook up now. Darkness draped around the room, the last remnants of light slowly disappearing from the skies. As time drifted by, more and more students came out from their dorms, whether it be Obelisk or Slifer or Ra, and conversed with one another, the joyful fulfillment carrying away whatever sadness was left within the day. Jaden breathed tiredly, running his fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes, leaning against the shadows enveloping behind him.

Alexis peeked shyly from behind her bangs, standing on her toes while trying to make out his unreadable, albeit resigned expression. "Jay?"

* * *

The next morning, Jaden found Crowler in one of the empty classrooms, sitting at his desk while muttering frustratedly about slackers and grades. If he squinted, he could practically see the veins popping out of his forehead, the agonizing lines marring the teacher's already clouding his degrading concentration. He was sitting there, trying to finish up whatever paperwork he had left, all the while fixing the scores of disrespectful students who had the audacity to plead for mercy. He could even make out the slight stains of urine and tears in front of Crowler's desk.

The teacher really had changed…somewhat.

He frowned, before walking up to Crowler's desk, carrying two, large, green bags he managed to fish out from his collection. He stood a few feet away from the desk, and stared at the feminine man, doing absolutely nothing to get his attention. It was only about a few more hours did Crowler finally notice Jaden standing there, with a very annoyed expression on his face. Jaden noticed the teacher shiver, while trying to reflect the same irritated scowl and failing miserably.

He took a deep breath. "Can I help you Slifer Slacker?" he hissed, obviously remembering the horrid "prank" days before. "If you can't already see-"

Jaden raised a delicate eyebrow, cocking his head at one of the tests. "You're one to talk."

"E-excuse me?"

"You're supposed to fail the idiot, idiot."

Crowler seemed taken back. Fine.

Jaden thrust the bags onto the desk, the textbooks giving off a loud, resounding sound throughout the classroom. The teacher jolted, both hands gripping the desk tightly. "W-what is-?"

"Homework."

Crowler looked up. "W… _what?"_

"Do problems 1-78 on page 12 and 13," Jaden explained, brushing aside Crowler's astonished demeanor. "Calculus textbook. For World History, read chapters 1 to 10. Review cell membranes and integral proteins, as well as chemical equilibrium and acids and bases. Finish it all by tonight."

"What…WHA-?!"

Jaden swiped the graded papers from Crowler's desk, taking a pen into his swift fingers as he scratched out the erroneous number. "I'll take care of this, by the way."

"What…WHAT IS THIS?!"

Jaden looked down frostily. "I'm re-evaluating your education."

Crowler stood then, a demonic growl suddenly forming on his face. " _Jaden-"_

"I'd rather you _didn't,"_ he stated, jabbing the pen onto the stack of unfinished tests. He took a deep breath, before folding his arms along his chest, his own, piercing glare destroying Crowler's pride. "Do you remember what Alexis said a few days back?"

"Y-yes. W-what about-?"

"Do you believe it?"

Crowler stopped, his eyes wide, recalling the memories that transpired before, the nightmares dripping easily from Jaden's voice. And before he could answer, his own student smirked, whatever traces of amiability coming away from his eyes. "If you _don't_ want to end up like them, I suggest you do as I say."

Crowler bit his lip, the apprehension coming back. _"How dare you-?"_

Jaden held up the ungraded tests in one hand, a red pen in the other. "Do I _make_ myself _clear?_ Professor?"


	5. Chapter 5

He stroked the ruined tapestries delicately, his mind elsewhere within the darkened oblivion. All the while his hazy, azure eyes came away from his fragile surroundings, his soul eating away from the pain and suffering, an aspect he found quite comforting, especially on a night as freezing as this. The moonlight iridescently shimmered upon the elegant scene, the hopelessness of it all cascading away from a pitiful, promising lie he could never bring himself to understand. A procession of shadows dotted the atmosphere, catering to the tiny, misguided rays drifting wearily from his midst.

Broken chandeliers scattered over the ground, shattered glass adorning the neglectful, somewhat content edifice. Stain glass tore at the silky cobwebs, insect corpses displaying their limbs ever so disgustingly over the veils. No relics were seen, the ash striking up those pathetic memories, all the while the stakes so vividly burning from within his tainted mind. Warm depictions of saints and sinners coming together were abandoned altogether. Rather, depravity itself was shown, a tainted refuge beneath a sea of white, and instead of shrines; only desecrated tombs remained in their place, along with a sorrowful judgement that costed hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent lives.

Slowly, he turns. He strolls pass the aisles, fingering the thorny choker clawed his throat. Black smoothed his outlines, creating a moving silhouette which decorated the helpless, nonexistent fires. An icy aura embedded his body, followed by a lonesome, isolated mood that entwined itself within his rhythmic heartbeat. Black flowed from his frame, the tattered picture of gracelessness coming back from his previous days with the aristocrats. Ebonic strands fell upon his face, his hard features themselves engraving a dead, astral complexity that not even insanity could bear to see.

He remembered this place. That's right; a few years ago, that cult tried to burn them all. The worshipper's bodies were still rotting beneath the foundation, right? He wondered if they'd make good material for Alexis's dolls. The girl's always had an irritating fascination with them, as did Jaden.

He gripped his cellphone tightly, as he stared out at the twilight. The cold summer was already beginning to drift through, creating a parade of jubilance that children effortlessly gave themselves to. Mesmerizing demeanors would pop out, followed by chaotic squeals and lustful sins that even crimson couldn't predict. Misery had no place there apparently, and whatever reason the immature brats gave kept getting replaced by yet another tyrannical rebellion. The Black Rose needed to fall, was the usual excuse.

 _That witch needed to burn._

Where is she?

 _You're her Queen, aren't you?_

He sighed, as he lifted his arm into the frost-stricken light. What an irritating bunch they were. What right did they have challenging the appellation? How could they possibly have thought themselves worthy of this beautiful world, of staking their own claims, of marking their own territories? Had they forgotten their status? Even if they themselves were Queens, what made them think they could take him on? Would another execution enlighten them?

He dropped his arm to his side and spun back, catching a glimpse of the tombstones nearby. He was about to walk forward, when, all of a sudden, the phone vibrated. The screen flickered brightly, the light blue blinding him with its immediate amiability. He stared at the tiny device annoyingly, as he contemplated whether or not to answer the damn thing, when he saw the caller ID.

Alexis.

Confusion replaced frustration. He opened the phone and placed it against his ear. "Hello?"

"Whoa!" the girl breathed. "I didn't think you'd answer!"

"Alexis-"

She giggled happily, and automatically, Yusei's initial reaction melted away. He resigned himself to the somewhat forced conversation. "Right. What is it?"

"I just wanted to say hi. I think Jaden did too, but he's a little busy right now."

"Funny. So when you both graduate, I won't have to deal with the same pair of idiots?"

"That's right," she answered, clearly not understanding the hole she's dug herself into. "Hey, did you notice any of the reports we sent in? You know, extra funds and all that?"

"I did actually," he replied, as he strolled toward the eroding frame. He leaned against it, and stared off at the graveyards. "I can't exactly say I'm thrilled."

"C'mon! You know you love us for it!"

"It's more work we can't handle."

"We've managed to get the syndicates in Japan under control though," Alexis refuted seriously, a dreadful yet cheerful tone residing beneath her voice. "You won't have to worry about it anymore. The Supreme King is under our control too, as well as the Light of Destruction."

"You've caught wind of the rebellions, huh?"

Alexis gasped instantly, as if taken back by his own ignorance. "Of course we knew! You know, Jaden keeps complaining about how you're always working and all that. We figured if we could do something about that, you'd be…you know…"

Yusei smirked emptily. "It's fine. That reminds me; when you both to graduate, head over to the Middle East. I'm announcing my coronation."

Silence permeated through the other line. Glimpses of nostalgia entwined with melancholy. There was a burning resentment hidden under the informality, and by the time the girl regained her composure, she breathed a heavy sigh. "I…I see. So…so you're really going to-"

"I am. If I don't, the territories will keep rebelling. They'll want to challenge a King who's-"

"I know." she interrupted loudly. She softened her voice then, a gentler, depressed aura taking form in the words. "I know. I'm…I just hope you're okay."

"It's fine," he said quietly.

"So…just any country?"

"I'd prefer you stay in Syria, but it's up to you."

"Right."

"One more thing," Yusei continued, reminiscing on past discoveries he's made, enchantments he's seen while the pair repeated their education. "I was visiting the Bethlehem Hospital in England."

"What?" Alexis asked immediately. "Why there? Akiza burned all the files, didn't she?"

He flinched at the name, but somehow, he carried on, ignoring the stabbing pain deep in his chest. "No. There's something I found there, and right now, it's more convenient that the two of you investigate. You know about the laboratory under Duel Academy, correct?"

"Yeah, but the only thing there was Yubel. That's all, right?"

"No," Yusei answered. He narrowed his eyes, the cold pain already implemented deep within his heart. To think, that after all this time, after all the destruction the witch caused, there was still one thing she missed. The mistake was so bad he could've massacred the entirety of the branches all over again, just to eliminate that tiny, invisible folly. "No, that wasn't all. Apparently, Fallen used your school as a research base for one of their experiments."

"Huh," the girl said contemplatively. "Was it one of Jaden's experiments?"

"Yes. The test subject was called 'the Crimson Dragon'."

He could practically hear the cogs run through Alexis's brain. After a few moments of silence, she sighed. "I've never heard of it."

"It was a really big thing with Latin America," Yusei explained. "Fallen got involved with it when they found out about all the energy it could generate. Initially, Jaden was ordered to lead the project, but he never got around to it. Eventually, we abandoned it in search of something more…accessible."

"But if you abandoned it, why's it a threat now? I mean, there's no way it-"

"I need to make sure," Yusei interrupted, causing the girl to fall silent. He closed his eyes, his tense muscles relaxing. "There are a lot of covens out there Alexis. Before the coronation, we have to make sure that power doesn't get out. If we can bring it under our control, it'll be fine. Can you tell Jaden that too?"

"R-right. I'll…I'll do it, and I'll get Jaden to do it. I'll…I'll tell him you said hi too, okay?"

"Fine then-"

"W-wait!"

Yusei jolted at the scream, her desperation echoing throughout his eardrums. He blinked, before warily turning around and staring at the phone. A blank frown etched across his lips. "What's wrong? Is…everything-?"

"Um…you should come here!" she instantly shouted, the seriousness fading away from her tone. It was…lighthearted, something Yusei hadn't heard in a while. He couldn't help but smile then at the tiny girl. "Why?"

A few minutes later, his carefree attitude was replaced by a morbid curiosity, one that wouldn't allow him to stay away from the island.

* * *

The first test was a complete failure.

Not only did Crowler fail to do _any_ of the assignments, but he took Jaden's warning halfheartedly. If not for his prior elementary school knowledge, the Slifer might as well have strangled him right then and there. What's more, Crowler refused to admit his mistakes. Jaden would show the boy where he screwed up, yet he would never pay attention to his suggestions. When Jaden demanded to know what Crowler had been doing during that time, he simply scoffed, folded his arms, and said, "I'm a doctor. I don't have time for this."

It was then Jaden demolished his facade.

Throughout the week, Jaden oversaw Crowler's duties, from grading, to signing the diplomas, to even fending off Shepherd and telling the man he was busy (with Crowler's voice of course). There was no time for the teacher to rest, none at all to catch up on his sleep, beauty or otherwise. It was interesting, watching the boy stumble over the hallways, colliding into confused, frightened students, all the while keeping track of his own reputation, making sure he wasn't doing anything wrong.

However, though Crowler kept arguing back at Jaden, demanding why someone as accomplished as he should have to degrade himself into doing something "as simple as this", in the end he still managed finished his homework. It was humorous, seeing the reaction on the teacher's face whenever Jaden showed him his failing papers, especially the flinching and cowering afterwards. He didn't think he was _that_ tough, and yes, he was a bit disappointed, but personally, Jaden thought he was being fair. After all, it's not often he had students as diligent as Crowler.

Or as rude.

Even _Alexis_ could do better.

An example of this was on Thursday, in the library, around 2 o' clock, with the elongated shadows waving their eerie plant fibers in front of the windows. Tiny pencil scratches sounded throughout the room, along with a very weary groan that came from the emaciated teacher. All the while Jaden sat across from him, busily correcting the grades Crowler had gotten wrong…for the hundredth time.

The students he failed, as well as passed, all had erroneous grades. In Jaden's opinion, almost none of the school body deserved the rank they had. Half the Obelisk students should be demoted to Ra, a few Ra to Slifer, and Slifer to Obelisk. Aside from a select few who deserved their ranks, including he and Alexis, it looked like Duel Academy wasn't as prestigious as it claimed to be. If anything, the generation here seemed more or less fraudulent. Even with the disruptions this past year, there still should've been enough time to study. Already the little brats were tap-dancing on Jaden's last nerve…

He jolted when Crowler slammed his palm down. Jaden flickered his frustrated eyes at the boy. "What?"

Crowler bit the inside of his cheek, reflecting the same anger Jaden had for the rest of the student body. "I know I'm not the best at my job-"

Jaden turned back, and continued examining the papers. "You're pathetic."

"P-P-PARDON?!"

"Duel college? Please." he hissed. "You couldn't even pass _my_ tests, and you've got the _nerve_ to-"

"But what does CHAINING ME TO A DESK HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING!" Crowler screamed, as he lifted the shackles and forced them down on the table. Small fragile tears sprung up from the corners of his eyes, his wrinkles conveying what little desperation Jaden hadn't beaten out of him. "And we've been here for four hours! This…this isn't funny anymore!"

"Excuse me?" Jaden scoffed, as he turned to the teacher with a very dark scowl. "I wasn't kidding when I said I'd be reevaluating you. And besides, if I'm not around, you won't do any work. Honestly, you're a teacher, aren't you?"

"T-there!" he shouted, pointing a bony, accessory finger at Jaden. "Right there! If you'd only put in that much effort in your _academics,_ then maybe I'd listen to you!"

"Excuses won't do you any good here."

" _Where was all that effort-?!"_

"So that's it? Because I'm a Slifer, you _can't_ take me seriously?"

"T-this is no time for-!"

He raised a delicate eyebrow. "Get one problem right Crowler. That's all I ask; _one problem,_ and I'll let you go."

Crowler gritted his teeth. "You really are a _brat,_ aren't you? You can't even-!"

Jaden tuned him out for the rest of the night.

Yet another example of this new, awkward interaction was during class. Because of the occasion, Jaden decided to remain awake for the remainder of the lesson, scrutinizing Crowler's teaching techniques, all the while mentally criticizing the incredibly inefficient way he kept teaching his class, favoring his beloved Obelisks over everything else. Of course, all the freshmen students were staring at Jaden, considering how he was never awake, or, at times, never even _there_ during class. He made no effort to dissuade them from their gawking, and instead, folded his arms, narrowed his eyes, and paid attention to every single detail Crowler was saying.

His eyes bore the teacher's back, and as time passed on, tiny whispers began flooding the room. Soon, quiet conversations erupted from across the room, ranging from Jaden's attractiveness, to his broodiness, to his somehow hidden intellect. In a way, he was frightening, but nonetheless, he was beautiful.

Through all this, it still only took him a few minutes to see Alexis's empty seat. For the first time, he automatically managed to pry himself away from Crowler's education, concentrating on more pressing matters. Where _was_ that girl? This was _her_ idea, wasn't it? Shouldn't she at least be supporting the fool at least?

Instantly, he heard the familiar slam in front of him. Slowly, he looked up, and found Crowler snarling down at him. "Pay attention Slifer!" he stated haughtily.

Jaden's eyes settled on the chalkboard. "That's wrong."

He blinked. "W-what?"

He lazily lifted his finger, and pointed directly toward the green surface, the incoherent equations staring the teacher back in the face. Stupidly, Crowler followed his finger, before fixating his eyes upon one incorrect expression upon the surface. "You forgot to subtract one. The whole thing's wrong."

Crowler immediately jumped back, all the while sputtering at how one single digit wouldn't make a single difference in the world.

As of that point, the entire room fell quiet, shocked at Jaden's inherent smartness. The Slifer merely smiled, and whatever humor was left in the situation faded quickly from the scene. "Do it over." he ordered.

"W-what?!"

Immediately, the entire class gasped, the unexpected entertainment meeting their bored selves before graduation. Some were laughing, others shocked, and yet still, some weren't surprised, if only for the fact Jaden could actually challenge a teacher's authority. He was the only student who could do so and get away with it; no doubt others have tried, but they only ever received a heavy dose of detention. But one thing united them all during the spectacle; no one took any of the abuse seriously.

Crowler gaped at Jaden, the bruises so very evident on his wrists. "Y-you don't…you can't…!"

"Didn't you hear me?" he asked quietly. He folded his arms against his chest, then set back in his seat. " _Do it over."_

No one noticed Crowler obediently walking back to the chalkboard, grumbling miserably at the order. He promptly erased the problem, and did it over.


End file.
